Fence Project

Twanger · Mar 3, 2004

I want to use some 8" x 10ft pinta treated wood posts (utility posts) for corners. I will use my post hole digger on my jd4310 and bury the post 4 feet in the ground giving me a nice 6ft privacy fence. The only place that I have found to be able to buy these from is the utility company. Tractor Supply, Feldman's, sutherland's, and Orscheln do not have or carry 10 footers. Am I crazy for wanting 4 feet in the ground and 6 feet above? Any alternatives? Any ideas?

fivestring · Mar 3, 2004

"Am I crazy for wanting 4 feet in the ground and 6 feet above?" 

No, it just sounds like you're a safety man.
4 feet in the ground is a lot. 8" diameter is a lot.

What are you trying to fence in.... or out? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

EastTexFrank · Mar 3, 2004

One thing is certain, they'll stay where they're put. It seems pretty stout for a privacy fence. Having said that, we use railroad crossties at the farm, buried 3' to 4' deep, for stretchers and gate posts on barbed wire fence.

cowboydoc · Mar 3, 2004

For end posts I always put them 3-4' deep, basically as deep as I can get them with the pounder or auger. For line posts there's really no reason to go past 3'.

Trailblazer · Mar 5, 2004

( What are you trying to fence in.... or out?)

Buffalo maybe?

TC18guy · Mar 7, 2004

it seems like a lot. around here, commercial utility & light poles only seem to be about 7' deep or less.

wroughtn_harv · Mar 8, 2004

( Am I crazy for wanting 4 feet in the ground and 6 feet above? Any alternatives? Any ideas?)

I don't think so. I put two and three eighths schedule forty galvanized pipe posts down in concrete in three and a half feet by twelve inch holes all the time. And most of the time those fences are only four and a half to five feet high.

Since it is a privacy fence I assume it's for you and your family. I do wonder about the wisdom of using creosoted materials in this situation.

If you want a good privacy fence that will last I suggest galvanized pipe posts (2 3/8"). I don't recommend the one piece wood rail to pipe adapter from Simpson. I would use the two piece one, more work, lives and lasts longer.

Wood is susceptible to corrosion mostly in the end grain. What I do to compensate for this is I use a top plate and I run a treated two by six along the ground. The treated board allows for the bottom of the pickets to be out of the dirt and away from exposure to the little things that find them so delicious.

For nailing your pickets keep in mind that cedar has an adverse reaction to steel, even galvanized. The new treated wood will eat any fastner except stainless and hot dip galvanized steel. I've watched my galvanized nails go up in price since they're required for the new treated lumber. Funny how that works.